A 17-Year old named Antwan was tragically killed while he was attempting to cross Route 130 near his high school with a friend in 2016. He was a sophomore in high school and was enrolled in the ROTC program. Members of Antwan’s family had served in the military since the Civil War and Antwan had dreamed to follow in their footsteps. The student body at Burlington City High School has teamed up with State Senator Diane Allen to create a new law to protect pedestrians, hoping to prevent such a tragic accident from ever happening again. The bill would force motorists to adhere to the 25-mph speed limit near schools at all times of the day, not just during the school day when children are present. The Bill also triples the fine that motorists would pay for speeding in school zones.
The students at Burlington High School launched a “25 Save Lives” movement to raise awareness for the petition which raised more than 500 signatures. However, many news article on Antwan’s Law only mention that he was struck while crossing Route 130 to get to a nearby Wawa. They fail to mention that he was hit by a drunk driver after midnight.
While it seems easy to rally behind any Law aimed at protecting our children, perhaps we should take a moment to reflect if this would actually save lives, or if the Bill is really just another money-making tactic for cash-strapped towns. The new Antwan’s Law means that even during the summer months and 24 hours a day, the 25 mph speed limit would be enforced by police – with fines being tripled. It remains unclear whether such a law would have even deterred this driver in the first place – since he was drunk driving and was already breaking the law. A rather scathing article on Nj1015.com indicated that this is really just another NJ Speed Trap that residents are all too familiar with. Do you think the bill is justified, or is just another way to fine motorists?
If you have received a speeding ticket or motor vehicle violation call Druckman & Hernandez at 908-353-5850 and speak with an attorney to protect your rights.